


Paper Rings

by AJP_37



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cuddles, Getting Together, Love, M/M, Short & Sweet, fan art included
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:22:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25067608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJP_37/pseuds/AJP_37
Summary: Derek had been broken and put back together.And now he was happy.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 6
Kudos: 140





	Paper Rings

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing I wrote based on the song Paper Rings by Taylor Swift,

**Paper Rings**

There had been many points in his life when Derek Hale had thought himself broken beyond repair. 

He’d lost more pack because of his own actions than he thought he could stand, became the alpha of Beacon Hills, and then gave it all up for his little sister. He’d tried and failed and been captured and beaten. He’s been on the run from the cops, charged and released and then once again on the run. 

He’d fallen hopelessly in love with the wrong people, had his heart broken time and time again, had his magic stolen and then evolved into a new form. 

But somehow, the universe seemed to think that he hadn’t had enough torment in his life. 

So it dropped Stiles Stilinski into his life like Scott’s puffer in the forest. 

Derek could remember the very first moment that he had scented Stiles in the forest. While the crumbling ruin of his family home sat still and dark in the woods, the road unused for years, the scent that had led him out was like coming up for fresh air. 

Family. 

Mate. 

Swallowing it down, Derek glared. Of course he could hear it. The friend was newly turned, his heart too fast and the smell of his blood somewhere between wolf and human, his eyes all ready a little while as they speculated about what had happened to him. 

_ His mate was quick _ . Derek couldn’t help but think, as he listened to him rib his friend about becoming a werewolf. 

Shaking that thought away, he’ snapped at them; his system was still adjusting to being back home and clearly his wolf was confused, there was no way this gangly kid could be his mate. 

And anyway, he was not Kate. 

And as fate and the universe would have it, their lives entwined, no matter how gruff he was, Stiles would be there; prepared to cut off his arm or hold him up in a swimming pool for hours. 

He saw the very worst in Derek and never strayed, never faltered. 

Derek could feel it, in the same way his tattoo was burnt into his skin, the feel of Stiles’ hands on him, saving his life, holding him to the earth when Boyd died. 

He had been running for so long, it was a shock when he finally stopped. 

Stiles’ tiny, Virginian apartment was a happy place. There were books, many of which had come from Beacon Hills, liberated from the Hale vault or sent from Jackson in London. There was a huge cane daybed by the window that Stiles had dragged in and Derek had scrubbed until the smell of its previous owners had been erased. It was where he spent most of his days, Curled up with a blanket as he poured over Stiles’ library. 

“You know it might have been quicker to pee on it.” Stiles had quipped, dropping his bag on the hall stand and quickly stripping himself of his jacket, tie and stiff button up shirt. 

Derek raised his eyebrows sleepily at him from his nest of blankets, the air flow from the AC and the warmth of the afternoon sending him off into the late afternoon nap. 

“I’m trying to lay low.” he sniffed, rubbing his eyes. “You know, because you’re yet to clear my name.” 

He wondered sometimes if Stiles could feel it too. There were times when it was clear that he had been hanging out with wolves for so long. When he would allow Derek to scent him when he was fresh from the shower, happy knowing that any supernatural he came across would know that Stiles was claimed. Maybe he chalked it up to Derek being raised by wolves, but he was always amenable to Derek’s needs. 

“Ah yes.” Sties grinned, throwing his balled up shirt in Derek’s direction as he toed off his shoes, partly to be annoying but also knowing that Derek enjoyed taking a good whiff. “I’ll just walk into my boss’ office and say ‘hey, remember that unsub I ran off with at the shoot out, well know he lives with me and what’s more, he hogs all the covers.’” he rolled his eyes and popped his hip dramatically. “You now have no outstanding warrants and they’ve downgraded your threat level so much you aren’t even on the FBI’s watch list anymore.”

Derek felt his smile widen and his cheeks heat as Stiles stripped down to his boxers before heading to the bedroom and returning in a soft tank top. The FBI was strict on uniform with their interns, even in the height of summer. He wasn't sure how things had happened, but it just seemed natural, after they had returned from Beacon Hills, that Derek would stay while they tried to work on getting him cleared of all charges. 

“Dad called me today.” Stiles called as he bustled about the apartment, checking the oven for the Frittata Derek had made that afternoon with leftover roast vegetables. “Said you sounded well the last time you guys spoke- which will never not be weird, you know.” 

Derek found an easy friend in the Sheriff, bonding quickly over their mutual love and frustration of Stiles. Their conversation the previous day had involved the Sheriff pulling out his own mother’s cookbook to find some Polish recipe for Derek to try with some of the vegetables he had grown in their tiny courtyard garden.

“Yeah, your dad is gonna send me some stuff.” Derek said quietly, his mind drifting.

“Hey.” Stiles said, leaning in the doorway between the kitchen and living space; his face soft and his smile kind. “I’ve known you for a long time, and I’m starting to think you might be happy.” 

Derek nodded. Happy was a good, uncomplicated word to use for his life here. 

Stiles bit his lip, unsure for a second before he moved forward, shuffling over the worn rug he had brought with him from his bedroom at home, pushing and pulling at Derek until there was enough room on the day bed for the two of them. 

“Hey.” Derek said, letting Stiles work his way under the thin blanket. Werewolves ran hot, but there was something comforting in being wrapped up in scent from their bed. Here in the little home that Stiles had made, it was too simple to be vulnerable here and sometimes Derek found himself needing something to tie him back to reality. “You had a bad day?” 

Usually Stiles only looked for this kind of touch when he was overworked, overwhelmed and exhausted or it was just another dreary Monday. This time however, Stiles wormed his hands under the layers of worn cotton blankets until he found skin, humming as he rubbed his face into Derek’s shoulder. 

“No.” He sighed, “It was good. Other than my feet being too hot in my shoes, the boss brought slushies to our team meeting and I had lunch with my dad on skype, and the whole while I knew I would get to come home to you.” 

Derek blushed again, letting Stiles maneuver him until he was comfortable, their legs intertwining. 

“Hey you know how I hate accidents?” Stiles asked, his eyelashes impossibly thick and his eyes impossibly vibrant as he looked up from where he was resting his head on Derek’s chest. “Except you. You’re the best accident.” 

Derek grinned, tightening the arm that was draped over Stiles’ back. It was too easy to pretend most days, as he worked around the house and waited for Stiles to come home. Derek found that after so long on the run, the life of a homebody was refreshing.

“I’d marry you.” Stiles said absently, his fingers rubbing lazy circles in Derek’s chest hair as he averted his gaze. “God, I am so lame- I am so sorry I-” 

Derek cut him off with gentle lips, his hand going to Stiles’ jaw to angle him where he wanted it. 

“I love you” Stiles gasped, moving further in Derek’s grasp, his own hands rubbing through Derek’s beard, tracing the shapes of his face while his eyes danced merrily. “Oh my god I love you.” 

Derek inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his best friend, of his mate, and thought back on the years he had been hollow, a ghost in the world. And how; piece by piece, this man had moulded him, allowing him to fix himself and feel happy once again. 

And he really was. 

“Stiles, I’m happy.” Derek said earnestly, his voice thick with emotion and his face feeling like it was doing to split from smiling so hard. “And I’d marry you too.”

  
  



End file.
